Health Care Workers Lobby Day 2017

Hundreds of nurses and health care workers belonging to PEF and a coalition of other New York State labor unions lobbied and rallied at the Legislative Office Building May 9. As they met with state Senators and Assembly Members, the nurses talked about the critical need to pass the Safe Staffing Bill. One after another told poignant stories about not having adequate staff to treat every patient like a VIP. PEF President Wayne Spence energized the crowd as he spoke about repeated efforts to get the Safe Staffing Bill passed.

“It took eight years for us to get the Mandatory Overtime Law passed, but we got it done. And we will get this Safe Staffing Law passed too,” Spence said. “Brothers and sisters, do not get discouraged. I am going to ask the Assembly and Senate to get this bill out of committee and on the floor. If one of them ever needed hospitalization and was on a gurney, we don’t want that person to say, “Gee, I should have passed that bill. There is not enough staff here.’ ”

PEF is urging all members to take an active role by calling their local representatives and telling them to pass the Safe Staffing Bill, so all New Yorkers can have quality health care.